Durbin Speaks With General Perna, COO Of Operation Warp Speed, About COVID-19 Vaccine Development

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with General Gustave Perna, Chief Operating Officer for Operation Warp Speed, about the research and approval process for COVID-19 vaccine candidates. On the call, Durbin pressed General Perna about maintaining the integrity of any vaccine candidate's safety and efficacy, and to not cut corners or permit political interference in the effort to quickly develop a vaccine. Durbin's call came on the same day as Food… Continue Reading

Durbin, Cardin, Rubio, Young Call For Justice & Accountability On Third Anniversary Of Rohingya Genocide

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Todd Young (R-IN) today issued the following statement commemorating the third anniversary of the Burmese military's genocide against the Rohingya minority in Burma's Rakhine State: "Today, August 25, marks three years since the Burmese military undertook a campaign of systemic violence against the Rohingya people in Burma's Rakhine State, forcing more than 740,000 people to flee their homes and cross into… Continue Reading

Durbin, Whitehouse, Hirono Lead Call For GAO Investigation Of Trump Politicization And Mismanagement Of Immigration Courts As COVID-19 Crisis Rages

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) to lead a request from all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats to the top congressional watchdog to investigate the practices of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) under President Trump, including its management of immigration courts during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to the Government Acc… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses His Provider Relief Fund With Lurie Children's Hospital CEO

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Lurie Children's Hospital CEO Dr. Tom Shanley about the inclusion of independent children's hospitals in COVID-19 relief funding as hospitals face significant revenue shortfalls as many procedures and patient visits have been scaled back and the cost of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing kits have risen. After hearing that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) funding allocations left out safety net… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Minority Business Owners To Discuss The Paycheck Protection Program

SPRINGIFELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP, and the American Business Immigration Coalition at the organizations' webinar for minority business owners in Illinois to discuss the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which has allocated more than 225,000 loans worth nearly $23 billion to Illinois small businesses. During the webinar, Durbin spoke about his support for providing a second round of loans to the hardest hit business… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Health Care Protection During Pandemic With Union Leaders

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a call with union leaders from UNITE HERE Local 1 to discuss health care and his efforts to help workers who've lost jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic stay on their employers' health care plans. Durbin has urged for the inclusion of federal COBRA funding in the next coronavirus relief package and supports a provision in the House-passed HEROES Act that would provide premium assistance to cover 100 percent of COBRA premiums so … Continue Reading

Durbin Examines How USPS Changes Have Affected At-Risk Communities In Getting Medications Delivered By Mail

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to a group of Illinois organizations-representing hundreds of thousands of seniors, patients with disabilities and complex conditions, and health care providers-asking how the recent United States Postal Service (USPS) changes have affected or may affect at-risk communities in getting prescription medications delivered by mail. In a letter to the Illinois chapter of the AARP, Illinois State Medical Society, Illinois Health and Hosp… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Convene Call With USPS And Illinois State Board Of Elections Leaders To Discuss Constituent Concerns About Voting By Mail

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with staff from the Illinois State Board of Elections (SBOE) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) to discuss how constituents in Illinois can safely participate in the upcoming general election amid concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and USPS policies and practices that may impact mail-in ballot delivery. On the call, the Senators and SBOE and USPS leaders discussed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's de… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $950,000 In Federal Funding To Support Hazardous Materials Emergency Response

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) has been awarded a total of $958,207 in federal grant funding to enhance the state's emergency response capabilities when dealing with hazardous materials related to transportation incidents. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). "This federal funding will support cri… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With American Postal Workers Union About Recent USPS Changes

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke by phone with American Postal Workers Union (APWU) President Mark Dimondstein about the significant operational changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS) instituted by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. The changes, which include the elimination of overtime, centralizing authority around the Postmaster General, and the reduction of sorting and processing hours, have led to significant delays in the delivery of vital medications for … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Operation Changes, Mail Delays With National Rural Letter Carriers Association

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with National Rural Letter Carriers Association President Ronnie Stutts about Postmaster General DeJoy's recent changes to longstanding United States Postal Service (USPS) policies, including the elimination of overtime, a reduction in sorting and processing hours, and concerns over continuing staffing shortages. The changes have come at the expense of USPS' ability to offer service to rural communities that do not have access to private m… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief With Navy Pier Board Members

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a call with members of the Board of Directors for Chicago's Navy Pier to discuss the latest on negotiations to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill. Durbin said he would continue to fight for additional relief for Navy Pier, which employs hundreds of people. Navy Pier received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, but like many businesses facing economic uncertainty because of the pandemic, is in need of additional financial assi… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Fall Reopening With University Of Illinois System President

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke with Tim Killeen, the President of the University of Illinois System, to discuss fall reopening plans including the University's contact tracing and testing strategies. The two also discussed the need for additional federal relief for higher education. Durbin is a cosponsor of the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act, which provides an additional $132 billion in support for institutions of higher education and students. "The… Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Join Senate Dems In Urging USPS To Fix Delays And Avoid Cost Increases For Election Mail

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in sending a letter with the entire Senate Democratic caucus to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging him to provide answers regarding reports of recent changes to long-standing practices at USPS that would result in increased delivery times and costs for election mail, and urged him not take any further action that ma… Continue Reading

Durbin Joins Colleagues Calling For Long-Term Relief For 43 Million Student Loan Borrowers Amid COVID-19

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and 16 other Senators in a letter to Senate leaders urging them to include long-term relief for millions of Americans with student loans in the next coronavirus relief package as negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats continue. The letter comes after the President issued an executive order that only places a three-month forbearance for some student loan borrowers, leaving nearly eight million studen… Continue Reading

Durbin, Brown Caution University of Arizona On Its Bid To Purchase Predatory For-Profit College

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today sent a letter to the President of the University of Arizona (UA) urging the school to take steps to protect students after it announced the purchase of Ashford University, a for-profit college that has long been the subject of numerous state and federal investigations and lawsuits for fraudulent and predatory practices. Despite a long history of troubling practices, if the transaction is consummated, Zovio - which own… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses COVID-19 Relief And USPS Service With St. Louis Regional Chamber

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a call with members of the St. Louis Regional Chamber to discuss the latest on negotiations to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill, including unemployment insurance, small business assistance, and protecting the United States Postal Service (USPS). Durbin shared his support for maintaining the $600 per week federal enhanced unemployment benefits and his recent letter to the USPS Postmaster General DeJoy urging him to take corrective … Continue Reading

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $850,000 For Pace Suburban Bus Service

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $850,464 in federal funding awarded to Pace Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority to support its I-90 Express Bus Service. The funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. "Investing in our public transportation infrastructure helps create jobs and improves the safety and efficiency of travel for Illinoisans," Durbin said… Continue Reading

Durbin Speaks With Venezuelans About Need For Senate To Pass Bipartisan, House-Passed Venezuela TPS Legislation

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today spoke via conference call with Venezuelans in Illinois and around the country on his efforts to pass the bipartisan, House-passed Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 in the U.S. Senate. The legislation would designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and protect approximately 200,000 Venezuelan nationals in the United States from deportation. They also discussed the increas… Continue Reading

Durbin Leads Dem Members Of Illinois Delegation In Urging Postmaster General To Address Delays In Letter & Parcel Delivery In Illinois

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) led fourteen Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional delegation in urging Postmaster General DeJoy to take corrective action against the recent operational changes, including the elimination of overtime and a reduction in mail sorting and processing hours, which have led to significant delays in the delivery of letters and packages to Illinoisans. In their letter, the lawmakers emphasized the damaging effects the delayed packages are causing,… Continue Reading